Chance Encounters
by liz1967
Summary: M has a chance encounter with an old friend of 007's which leads to a rather complicated relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**For DavRin and Rebaforever15 . hope you like it. Let me know if I should continue.**

Jack Ward found himself wondering around the halls of MI6 headquarters looking for two people, the infamous 007, and M. Jack was in his early 70's, had salt and pepper colored hair, was just slightly shorter than James, had a slight American Southern accent, was a close personal friend of James, and just happened to be the Head Field Agent for the American CIA. Once he had found the correct lift Jack made his way up to the top floor to M's office. As he entered the outer office where he found Eve Moneypenny, M's secretary busily typing away at her computer.

"Excuse me miss, but could you tell me if I have the right office, I'm looking for M"

"Oh you've got the right office alright" she said in a frustrated tone

"Would she happen to be in?"

"As a matter of fact she is. Do you have an appointment?" asked Eve as she fumbled to find M's appointment book

"Well no. I just happened to be in town and I thought I would stop in and say Hello"

"I see. And you are?"

"Oh sorry. I'm Jack Ward. I'm a friend of James"

"I see" said Eve suspiciously "And just how did you manage to get up here without an escort?"

"Well I also happen to be the Head Field Agent for the CIA" replied Jack, flashing his badge

"Oh, Mr. Ward. I'm sorry" said Eve, noticeably embarrassed "I'll see if she's available"

"Thanks" replied Jack as he took a seat

M was angrily shoving files from one side of her desk to the other when Eve buzzed her on the intercom.

"Ma'am, sorry to bother you, but you have a visitor"

"Who is it" snapped M as she stared at the phone

"It's a Mr. Ward from the CIA"

"Mr. Ward…you mean Jack Ward?"

"Yes Ma'am"

"What the hell is he doing here?"

"He said he was just passing through and wanted to say Hello"

"Fine" replied M sounding a bit annoyed "Show him in"

"She'll see you now" Said Eve as she rose to open the door for him "But I should warn you that she's in a right foul mood this morning"

"I see, Well let me see what I can do about that" replied Jack with a wink as he entered the office

Jack strolled across the office to the waiting M and wrapped her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground, and twirling her around before gently putting her down.

"M…how the hell are you" he asked as he gave her the once over

"Jack" she said clearing her throat "How nice to see you again. What brings you to London?"

"Just passing through. I had hoped to catch up with the ever elusive 007, but I see you have him occupied at the moment"

"So you decided to pester me instead" she replied sarcastically

"Something like that"

"I'm sorry Jack, but this isn't really the best time" said M as she returned to her chair

"I sort of gathered that. What seems to be the problem?"

"Oh nothing I can't handle" replied M as her phone began to buzz. "Yes Miss Moneypenny, what is it?"

"It's Mr. Mallory again on line 1"

"Now what does he want? Alright, fine. Excuse me for a minute won't you Jack?"

"Sure, I'll wait outside" said Jack with a smile as he left her office and closed the door behind him.

"So what's the deal with Mallory?" asked Jack as he waited for M

"I have no idea, but he's been annoying her all morning which is probably what put her in this cheery mood" replied Eve "She's off the phone if you dare to go back in"

As Jack opened the door he managed to catch M pacing about her office, angrily ranting into thin air.

"That self-serving, self-righteous, arrogant ass" said M turning around, only to be startled by the fact that Jack was standing in the doorway laughing.

"I fail to see what is so humorous" snapped M

"So what's the little twit done this time?" asked Jack doing his best to keep a straight face.

"Well for starters, he conveniently forgot to tell me that my presence is required at one of those impossibly boring official functions tonight, and then to top it off, he felt the need to inform me that since I will most likely be attending alone, he would make sure that I was seated at his table so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable"

"He's got a hell of a lot of nerve"

"Where the hell does he get off assuming that…I'm sorry Jack. You didn't come to hear me moan about my colleagues."

"Well no, but I don't mind if you need a sounding board" he replied as he moved to stand in front of her

"Thank you. So why did you come? Business or pleasure?"

"To be honest, a little of both and I've finished with the business part so I thought I would indulge in a little pleasure"

"Well I'm sorry your playmate is away on a mission." Said M with a laugh

"Actually, I thought, since James is away, I would ask if you might like to join me for dinner. It would be nice change to have an intelligent conversation with someone who doesn't have a damn cell phone attached to their ear all the time"

"As tempting as that sounds, I have this "thing" I am required to attend or I else I would love to" she replied

"Tell you what. Why don't I take you to this "Thing" tonight?"

"That's not really necessary" said M, feeling a bit foolish for complaining

"Of course it is. I've been to enough of these official functions myself to know that you're going to bored silly, so why not take advantage of the situation. We get to have dinner together, on Her Majesty's dime, and you have the perfect excuse to NOT sit with Mallory, and there is as added bonus" he said mysteriously

"Oh and just what would that be?" asked M curiously

"Look just because you're a widow doesn't mean that you're a nun. Just think of the look on old Mallory's face when you show up with a mysterious date and you have the perfect excuse to leave early" chuckled Jack

"Well, I hadn't thought of it that way" said M with a grin "Ok…you're on, only…"

"Only what?"

"Well it's just that it's a formal function. I don't suppose you thought to bring a tux?"

"Me? Of course I did" replied Jack smugly

"You did?" said M, her eyes wide with amazement

"Well…yeah…You never know when one of those monkey suits might come in handy"

M just rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Hey, I may be a spy, but I was also a Boy Scout and you know their motto "Be Prepared"…so have tux, will travel" replied Jack

"Ok...Ok…you win. Dinner is at 8:00 with drinks at 7:00 so I'll pick you up at your hotel around 6:30 if that's ok?"

"M, if it's all the same to you, I would rather pick you up at your flat. There is nothing more emasculating than a woman picking up a man in front of a hotel in a limo"

"Oh I see" replied M, desperately trying to conceal a laugh "Well then how about this…I will have my car sent around to pick you up at 6:00 and then you can pick me up? Is that better?"

"Perfect!" said Jack leaning forward to give M a quick kiss on the cheek "See you a little after 6:00 then"

"Fine" replied M as she escorted Jack to the door

"See…this day is shaping up better than you thought" he said as he left.

M stood in the doorway of her office with the most peculiar smile on her face, which did not go unnoticed by Eve.

"M…Are you alright?" asked Eve cautiously so as not to incur the wrath of the "Evil Queen of Numbers" again.

"Fine Eve. I'm just fine"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Jack paced around in the lobby of his hotel, nervously waiting for the car to arrive. He couldn't understand why he was so nervous. It wasn't as if he hadn't been to these types of functions before, but for some reason this was different. "It isn't a date" he said to himself "I'm just escorting a colleague to a work thing", but every time he said it, it began to sound more and more like a date.

As the car pulled up outside of M's flat, Jack suddenly found himself as a loss for words. "Well here goes" he thought as he marched up the stairs and knocked on the door. As soon as she opened the door, Jack knew why he was nervous, because looking back at him was M, dressed in a long, black velvet dress with a deep v neck and a beautiful single, silver chain with a circle, encrusted with diamonds. For the first time in his life, Jack was speechless.

"Good evening Jack, won't you come in" said M with a smile as she moves aside so that he could enter.

"Good evening M, may I say that you look stunning"

"Thank you." She replied, blushing slightly "Would you care for a drink before we go?" she asked as she led him to the sitting room

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Absolutely, It always helps to dull ones senses a bit before attending one of these things, it helps with the boredom" she said with a laugh as she poured the drinks

"Are you sure you want to go to this thing?" he asked as he took the glass

"I really don't have much of a choice. Look I understand if you want to cancel" she said as she motioned to the sofa

"And miss the opportunity to see old Mallory speechless…Not on your life"

"You keep referring to Mr. Mallory as old Mallory, when in fact he's younger than both of us"

"Most of them are anymore."

"Sorry?"

"Most of my agents weren't even born yet when I joined up, and they have no idea how it was, back in the day I mean" he said as he downed his drink in one gulp

"I know what you mean. They have absolutely no idea what we did or how we did it…" replied M as she took a seat beside him on the sofa.

"Yeah and they have no imagination what so ever. If they can't Google if, then in their opinion it must not have happened, and god forbid that their batteries aren't charged in their gadgets or they simply can't function" he said with a laugh

"They say that all these gadgets make life easier, but I beg to differ. The radio was much less complicated than those asinine smart phones and more reliable."

"Those were the days" said Jack with a laugh "When we knew who the damn enemy was. It was usually a country or a person, now it's an e mail address or a web site"

M finished her drink and rolled her eyes as she looked at her watch.

"We should get going" she said as she rose, taking both glasses and placing them on the liquor cabinet

"If you insist" grumbled Jack

"As I said before, you don't have to come with me if you don't want to" said M as she grabbed her shawl and handbag

"I wouldn't miss this for the world, it's just that I think I would rather take you dancing instead" he said with a grin

"You wouldn't say that if you saw me dance. I have two left feet"

"Darling, it wouldn't be a problem, because with me, your feet would never touch the floor" he replied as opened the door and offered her his arm

"You had better be careful Mr. Ward, if this turns out to be half as boring as I think it will be, I just may take you up on that dancing offer" she said taking his arm.

The ride to MI6 headquarters took less than ten minutes, and before long M and Jack found themselves waiting in the security cue, waiting to be allowed to enter the reception.

"Christ, you would think that since I run this bloody building, I would be granted some sort of immunity from the security checks" grumbled M as she waited rather impatiently

"Now now M, at least your lads are doing a thorough job insuring your safety" replied Jack with a laugh as he put his arm around her

A young guard stood at the entrance with a clip board and a pen, checking off the names of those attending as they arrived.

"Name please" said the young man

"Are you serious?" asked M, almost offended at the question

"Yes Ma'am, your name please" he repeated just as serious as before

"M" she said

"M what?" he asked innocently

"M, as in your boss, or rather your former boss if you don't move aside and let me enter" she replied sharply

Just then a voice from behind her caught her attention.

"It's alright Wilson, let her enter"

"Yes Sir Mr. Mallory" replied the obviously embarrassed young guard

"Remind me not to make you mad" said Jack as he looked down at the now clearly irritated M

"Sorry about that M" said Mallory as he stepped up beside her. "He's usually on duty at Whitehall, so he really didn't know who you were"

"Not that it's any of my "Business" but what the hell are the security teams from Whitehall doing here?" she asked bluntly "As this is the headquarters for the British Secret Service, I would have thought that our own security teams would have been sufficient"

"Relax M, they're just here as added support." He replied as he looked over at Jack rather suspiciously. "I was under the impression that you would be attending alone"

"That is what you get for making assumptions" she replied sarcastically

Mallory narrowed his eyes as he studied Jack for a moment.

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure. Gareth Mallory, Head of the Security and Intelligence Committee" he said extending his hand "And you are?"

"Jack. Jack Ward. Head Field Agent for the CIA" replied Jack smugly as he shook Mallory's hand

"I see. Well nice to meet you Mr. Ward. See you both inside" said Mallory as he quickly disappeared into the Ballroom

"Well, that went well" said Jack trying to conceal a smirk

M just turned slightly and buried her head in Jacks shoulder to keep from laughing out loud. When she had somewhat regained her composure, she took Jack's arm and started toward the door.

"Shall we?" she said, still trying not to laugh

"But of course Ma'am" replied Jack with an impish grin

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, noticing the mischief in his eyes

"Oh, nothing. I just think that this could be a lot more fun than we originally thought"

"And why is that?"

"Because if you rendered him nearly speechless just by showing up with a date then what will he say if…"

"If what?" she asked sounding almost intrigued

M's thought was cut short as they entered the room and were descended upon almost immediately by a number of dignitaries from the different committees as well as the different department heads and other invited guests. As they made their way across the room, Jack couldn't help but notice that Mallory's eyes hadn't left them for an instant. Jack snaked his arm around M's waist and pulled her to him causing her to lean against him in order to keep her balance.

"Jack! What are you doing?" she asked suspiciously

"Just proving to Mr. Nosey body over there that you are most definitely NOT a nun" he said with a grin as he leaned down and lightly kissed her forehead

"Jack, behave yourself, I have to work with most of these people" she said blushing slightly

"I'll try, but you're not making this very easy" he whispered in her ear

"Why Jack, are you flirting with me?"

"Well I'm giving it my best shot" he replied with a wicked grin

Jack and M circulated around the room stopping here and there for a quick obligatory conversation before they sat down and listened to quite possibly the most boring speech known to man and then the evening was concluded with a lite dinner and polite small talk.

As the evening was beginning to wind down M tucked her hand in the crook of Jack's arm and the two of them headed toward the door, making sure to walk past Mallory in the process.

"M…Leaving so soon?"

"As a matter of fact we are" replied M "Jack is only in town for a few days and I would like to spend some time with him before he has to leave"

"I see" said Mallory suspiciously

"You see Mallory, As fun as this evening has been, I promised M that if we were finished early enough, I would take her dancing" said Jack with a smile

"Dancing?" replied M looking at Jack with a look of total panic

"You heard me" he said pulling her close

"I see, well you two have a nice evening" replied Mallory with a slightly confused look

As they made their way to the car, it was all Jack could do not to laugh.

"Did you see the look on his face when I told him I was taking you dancing?" he said with a smirk "It was priceless"

"Jack!" Said M sharply "What were you thinking? He's my boss for god's sake"

"Then he should realize that you are a human being, not a machine" he said as he stopped and pulled her to him "and that you do have and are entitled to a life outside the office" he said softly as he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips

"Jack, not here" said M as she pulled back and got in the car.

The ride back to M's flat was rather quiet as Jack sat with his hands folded in his lap, while M silently stared out the window. When they arrived Jack got out and walked M to the door, taking her key and unlocking the door from her. As he handed the key back, M stood with her back to the door looking up at him, waiting for him to speak. As he was about to leave Jack turned and leaned in, putting one arm around M's waist and the other around her shoulders drawing her into a deep, passionate kiss. M wrapped one arm around his neck and reached behind her with her other hand to open the door. Jack expertly maneuvered her through the doorway, and shut the door behind them, never breaking the kiss.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	3. Chapter 3 Chapter 3

**For DavRin, Hope this was what you had in mind :) and for RebaForever15 and ForeverMBond, thanks for the support, I just love these two together.**

Jack kept his firm grip on her as he backed her up against the door, pressing himself against her as he left a trail of kisses down her neck and across her collar bone. M wrapped her other arm around him more for balance than anything else as she planted a few well-placed kisses of her own.

"Jack, what are you doing?" she whispered in his ear as he concentrated his kissing on the crook of her neck

"What does it look like I'm doing" he murmured

"Jack, isn't this a little sudden?"

"I have wanted to do this all evening" he said in-between kisses

"Is that so?" she replied coyly

"If I were a younger man I would sweep you off your feet and tear up those stairs, throw you on the bed and have my way with you" he said pulling back slightly to cup her cheek

"And what's stopping you?" she asked softly, leaning into his touch

"Well to be honest, I can either sweep you off your feet, or I can tear up the stairs, but at my age I can't do both anymore" he said resting his forehead against hers

"Oh I see" she said with a pout

"I could sweep you off your feet if you like, but there is a strong possibility that I will put my back out, and I could tear up the stairs with you, but with my knees it's a safe bet that the top of the stairs is as far as I will get. Either way, you would most likely end up slathering me with Ben-Gay and applying cold compresses or a heating pad to whatever hurts more"

M just laughed as she buried her head in his shoulder

"I'm sorry Jack, it isn't funny"

"Its hell getting old isn't it?"

"Speak for yourself" she replied playfully slapping his arm "Would you like a drink?"

Jack leaned down and kissed her firmly and deeply, and M was responding to the kiss when she suddenly felt herself in a great deal of pain.

"OUCH…Ohhhhh…" she said as she pulled back in obvious pain

"M…what is it?" asked Jack sounding worried

"Its these damn shoes, they're pinching my feet and they hurt like hell" she muttered as she wiggled her foot, trying to get the pain to subside

"If it's the shoes, then take them off" said Jack

"No. It'll be fine, just give me a minute"

"M…really? They're just shoes, and it's not as if we're out in public for God's sake, we're in your hallway." He said as he leaned down to inspect the offending shoe

"Just leave it, I'll be fine" she said attempting to push him back

"M…this is ridiculous they're just….HOLY CHRIST ON A CRUCEFIX" he said looking up at her in disbelief "How the hell do you even stand up let alone walk in those things?"

Jack looked down at her feet in amazement, staring at the five inch stiletto heels she was wearing.

"No wonder your feet hurt" he said as he finally stood up and forcefully guided her to the steps and made her sit.

"Let me get those contraptions off your feet" he said as he hiked up her dress and began removing the shoes

"Jack…its fine really" she said as she pulled his hand away from her foot

"Are you seriously going to tell me that we're going to sit here and debate whether to take your shoes off or not?" he asked narrowing his eyes as he looked at her "What's the big deal?"

"The BIG deal is that if you take my shoes off, I will look like a post-menopausal dwarf" she snapped

"M…don't be ridiculous" he said removing the first shoe

"It's true. I just barely come up past your shoulder now, take off the shoes and…"

"And I guess I'll just have to lean down a bit further to kiss you" he said removing the second shoe. "This is like some sort of twisted Cinderella story" he said with a laugh

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, Prince Charming usually puts the shoe on, not the other way around" he replied as he began massaging her aching feet

"I guess this means that dancing is out" she said with a small grin

"Not a chance" he said pulling her to her feet and wrapping his arms around her as he began to sway back and forth, holding her close "You really are tiny aren't you" he said with a smile

"Jack, THIS is ridiculous. I can't dance and we don't even have any music" she said looking up at him rather annoyed

"If its music you want, then music you shall have" he said pulling out his "asinine" smart phone

"And just what are you planning to do? Call a band?" she said sarcastically

"No…but sometimes technology can be useful" he said as he accessed his music playlist's "Which do you prefer Tango? Mambo? Limbo?"

"Silence, I prefer Silence" she said as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp

"Here we go." He said as he hit the play button and pulled her close, resting his chin on the top of her head

M listened as the music began to play. The tune sounded familiar, but it wasn't until it had played a few more bars before she recognized it. It was the theme some from the film An Affair to Remember.

"Such a beautiful song" she said relaxing in his arms as she rested her head against his chest and let him take the lead.

"And you said you couldn't dance" he said with a smile as he swayed back and forth

As the music ended, M pulled back and looked up at the obviously happy Jack, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"There. That wasn't so bad was it?" he said kissing her forehead

"No" she said snuggling closer

"It's getting late. I should probably be going"

"You don't have to" she said quietly

"Why M…You naughty girl" he replied with a smile "Are you flirting with me?" he asked teasingly

"How did you put it earlier? I 'm giving it my best shot" she replied with a smirk

"I suppose we could just settle for a little canoodling on the sofa" he said as he guided her into the sitting room

"Canoodling? I haven't heard that expression for years" she replied as she went to the liquor cabinet and began pouring the drinks

"It's been out of circulation for a while. Too bad. It's a good word" he said as he stood behind her with his arms around her waist "To be quite honest, Canoodling is about all I think I can manage tonight" he said quietly as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder

"To be totally honest I think it's all I can manage as well" she replied as she turned to face him, reaching up to put her arms around his neck.

Jack pulled her close and kissed her again while attempting to pull her dress up. The only problem was that it was a long, lined velvet dress, and every time he caught hold of it and tried to pull it up, the dress would somehow slip from his grasp as if it had a mind of its own. Each time he tried he made more progress, but he finally pulled back, took a small step back and stared down at the dress in frustration

"What is it with that thing" he asked sounding a bit out of sorts

"What's wrong?"

"Just how long is that thing anyway, and why is it so damn slippery?"

It was all M could do not to laugh.

"It's the lining" she finally said suppressing a giggle

"The what?"

"The lining. Although the dress is made of velvet, the lining is made of taffeta" she replied

"Well, aren't the two connected at some point?" he asked in a rather bewildered tone

"Only at the top" she said with a laugh

"It's like herding cats. Every time you THINK you've made some progress, one of them gets away and you have to start over" he muttered "I think I could do with that drink now" he said sounding almost defeated

Jack took his drink and put his arm around M, escorting her to the sofa where he sat and leaned back against the cushions and closed his eyes while M sat beside him, tucking her feet up under her dress, and curling up beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"See the shoes don't make a bit of difference when we're sitting down" he said with a smirk as he put his arm around her pulling her close

"I know" she said softly as she played with the buttons on his shirt

It wasn't long before they were both fast asleep in each other's arms.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	4. Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Jack was the first to wake, looking down at the sleeping M, curled up in his arms. He couldn't help but smile when he thought of the tiny titan sleeping in his arms. Although he had never personally incurred her wrath, her temper was famous among her agents, but tonight she just looked like a beautiful angel. He could tell that if he didn't move soon there would be hell to pay later, and as much as he hated to wake her he really didn't have any other options available.

"M" he whispered as he kissed the top of her head

"Mmmmm"

"M hunni, you've got to wake up"

"Why" she asked still in a sleep induced haze

"Because if we stay like this much longer, neither of us will be able to move in the morning" he replied still half asleep himself

"Where are we?"

"We fell asleep on the sofa"

"Oh" she said wrapping her arm around him tighter as she attempted to go back to sleep

"M" said Jack a little louder as he sat up, promptly disturbing her sleep

"Jack" she said looking slightly confused "What are you doing?"

"Moving before I'm frozen in this position, not that it's a bad position, but…"

"Oh, I'm sorry Jack" she said sitting up and rubbing her eyes "How long have we been like this?"

"A few hours I guess"

"What time is it?"

"About quarter past one" he said with a yawn

"You should have waken me sooner"

"I would have, but you just looked so damn cute" he said with a wink

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it isn't polite to flirt with someone who is half asleep" she said with a sleepy laugh

"I think we should continue this conversation in a more appropriate setting. One that allows both of us to stretch out a bit" he said standing up and offering her his hand

M took his hand and stood up, losing her balance in the process. Jack was quick to respond, putting his arm around her waist and gently picking her up.

"Jack! What are you doing? Your back" she protested

"Forget about my back, you're worth it" he said with a grin as he walked toward the door "Which way to your bedroom?"

"It's upstairs, but I can manage if you will put me down"

"And have you fall down the stairs in that impossibly long dress? Not on your life" he said as he slowly climbed the stairs.

"But what about your knees?"

"To hell with my knees" he replied as he cradled her in his arms

When they had reached the top M pointed the way to the bedroom

"I can't tell you the last time I was carried to bed" she said through a yawn as she rested her head on his shoulder

When they reached the bedroom, Jack gently put her down and turned her around so he could unzip her dress

"We need to get you out of this before you trip over it and kill yourself" he said as he let the dress fall

M turned around and leaned against Jack as she rested her head against his chest. He helped her step out of the dress and led her to the bed where he promptly tucked her in.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked as he was about to turn and leave

"I thought I would go back down and sleep on the sofa" he replied quietly

"Why? Are you afraid I'll bite?" she asked with a hint of a smile

"No" he said sitting down and leaning over her "I just didn't want to assume"

M reached up and put her arms around his neck pulling him down into a gentle kiss.

"If it wasn't what I wanted, I wouldn't have let you carry me up here" she said as she broke the kiss

Jack stood up and striped down to his boxers and climbed in beside her, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close.

"You're one hell of a woman M" he said kissing her temple as they both drifted back to sleep.

He didn't know what it was, but Jack heard something or someone moving around downstairs in the sitting room. M hadn't mentioned that she had any pets and he was positive that he had locked the front door. Jack carefully untangle himself from her and slipped out of bed, retrieving his trousers and his small, but effective gun from its holster on his belt.

"Jack…where are you going?" asked a still half asleep M

"Stay here" he whispered sharply "I heard something downstairs"

"But…."

"M…for God's sake do as I say and stay here" he said as he crept out of the bedroom and down the hall to the top of the stairs. He could see a faint shadow coming from the sitting room as he quietly made his way down the stairs.

M got out of bed, slipped on her dressing gown and quietly inched her way down the hall to the top of the stairs only to be the recipient of one of Jack's death glares as he motioned for her to go back to her room. M, being M did no such thing and made her way down the stairs. As Jack entered the sitting room with his gun drawn, a hand came around from behind the door and grabbed his arm and a struggle ensued with punches being thrown and furniture being over turned. M quickly ran and turned on the lights and stood in the doorway with a look of disbelief as she saw James with Jack in a headlock on the floor.

"M…Get out of here" he shouted as he tightened his grip

"007…RELEASE HIM THIS INSTANT!" she shouted

"What?"

"I SAID LET HIM GO!"

James stared at her as though she had suddenly grown a second head, but did as he was told. Jack rolled to his side gasping for air as M rushed to him and put her arms around him.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she tiled his chin up to look in his eyes

"Never better" he said with a pathetic smile as he rubbed his neck

M leaned over and kissed him gently before standing and turning to face the totally confused 007.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" she demanded furiously

"Protecting you!" he snapped "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Sleeping! Not that it is any of your bloody business" she snapped back as she turned to help Jack up, carefully looking him over to be sure he wasn't too badly injured

"James…Do you always to break into your boss' house in the middle of the night" asked Jack as he put his arm protectively around M

James looked and Jack, dressed only in his trousers and then at M who was wrapped in a loosely tied dressing gown and immediately began to blush uncontrollably.

"Jack? What the hell are you doing here?" he asked when he was finally able to find his voice

"Boy you really should clean out your ears. Didn't you just hear her say we were sleeping until some knob head decided to break into the house and raid the liquor cabinet" he said, thoroughly enjoying how uncomfortable James appeared to be at the moment.

"M..." said James clearing his throat "Would it be possible to have a word alone with you" he asked, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he had stumbled in on his boss sleeping with his friend

M looked up a Jack and then back at James

"It's late Bond, this had better be good" she said sharply as she let go of Jack and secured her dressing gown around her

"I'll just go back upstairs and leave you two alone" said Jack as he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss

"I won't be long" she said glaring at James "Will I?"

"Erm…no" replied an obviously embarrassed James

Once she heard the bedroom door shut M spun around and glared at James

"What the bloody hell is so important that you felt the need to break into my flat at this hour?" she demanded

"Well…I always break into your flat after a mission, I just didn't count on Him being here" he said defensively "What is Jack doing here anyway?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes and stared at her

"Not that it's any of your business, but he came to see you, and since you were away on a mission…"

"He just thought he would amuse himself take liberties with you and until I got back…Is that it?"

"NO!" she said sharply "Bond…this may come as a shock to you, but as it was pointed out to me earlier, I'm a widow, not a nun. I am entitled to have a life outside the office, a fact which I seem to have forgotten until someone very special reminded me"

"Yes of course you do, but Jack? Really?"

"What's the matter James? You almost sound Jealous" she replied

"I'm not jealous,"

"Look, it's been a long time since anyone has taken an interest in me, and I have to say it's nice to feel wanted. I'm not stupid enough to think that this will ever go anywhere, but I should at least be allowed to enjoy this for as long as it lasts" she replied

"I just don't want to see you get hurt is all, Believe it or not I care about you. You're not just my boss, you're my friend as well" he said sincerely

"Point taken, but the fact still remains that you broke in yet again…Why?"

"Would you believe me if I said it was because I missed you?"

"You could have just called" she snapped

"Maybe because I was worried about you"

"James" she said putting her hands on her hips

"Alright, I just wanted to see you. I assumed that you would be alone again, and I thought you could use the company, but I can see that you've already got that covered" he said with a grin

"Right, well you've seen me and I'm most definitely not alone, so if that's all, I think you should be going" she said as she pointed toward the door

"Fine" he replied as he headed toward the door "Just one thing" he said leaning down to whisper in her ear "You tell Jack that if he hurts you I will not hesitate to snap him in half like a dry twig"

M pulled back and stared at James with a look of total surprise

"Good Night M" he said he leaned down and lightly kissed her cheek before disappearing out the door.

M shook her head and rubbed her eyes as she locked the door and turned off the lights before heading back upstairs. As she got closer to the top she could see Jack leaning against the wall

"I take it you were listening" she said dryly

"He really cares about you" replied Jack as he held out his hand to her "But so do I"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	5. Chapter 5 Chapter 5

**Sorry this took a bit longer than I intended, but I kept getting my plots mixed up. Never write two stories with the same characters at the same time, hehe**

"Jack…I really don't think I have the energy to have this sort of discussion at the moment" said M as she leaned against the opposite wall and stared at the floor

"Hey…what's wrong?" he asked as he leaned over to look in her eyes "What did he say to you?"

"Who? James? Nothing. I just assumed that now that he's back…"

"Now that he's back what? I would just up and leave?"

"Jack…I knew from the beginning that this was probably just one off…"

"Did you now" he said with a hint of irritation as he pressed up against her

"You came to see James and now that he's back…"

"So he's back. He can wait. I've found a new and much more preferable "Playmate" as you put it" he replied with a wink as he leaned down and kissed her

"Jack" she said pulling away "Do be serious"

"I am being serious" he said pulling her to him "You are much softer and definitely more beautiful. Look James is my friend, but I sure as hell don't want to wake up next to HIM in the morning. When I found out that he was away on a mission, yeah I was disappointed for about a half a second, but then it occurred to me that I would actually have you all to myself."

"I was just an afterthought and you know it"

"No, you were my first thought. I always wanted to meet the face that went with that beautiful voice on the other end of the phone, and I have to say I was most definitely not disappointed" he said

M couldn't tell if he was being serious or just telling her what he thought she wanted to hear.

"M, I don't know about you, but I would like to think that we could make this more than just a one off"

"But what about James?"

"Let him find his own playmate" replied Jack as he bent down and captured her lips in a deep kiss

"That's not what I meant" she said with a laugh

"I know, but I don't like to share, so if we decide to give this a try, I will sit him down and explain a few facts of life to him"

"Oh really" she said teasingly as she put her arms around his neck "And just what would you tell my best agent?"

"I would tell him that we are two grown adults and we don't need his permission to be together"

"I see, and what else would you tell him?"

"I would tell him that in the future he needs to call first, because you just might be busy the next time he feels the need to break into your flat in the middle of the night" he replied as he placed the first of many soft kisses on and around her face

"Go on" she said quietly as she tilted her head to the side, giving him better access to her neck

"And I would tell him that he was right…"

"About what?" she asked as she pulled back and looked at him

"He once told me that IF I ever met you, I would find it impossible to get you out of my head, and he was right" he replied as he pulled her to him and began maneuvering her backwards down the hall toward the bedroom

"And what else did he tell you?"

"He told me that you were as stubborn as you are beautiful, and that if I ever even thought of trying to take advantage of you I was in for a big surprise, and he also said that once I met you I would understand why he never wanted to hurt you or disappoint you. He loves you M, and he will do whatever it takes to protect you"

"Well that explains what he said earlier"

"What did he say?" asked Jack as he cupped her cheek

"He told me to tell you that if you hurt me, he would not hesitate to snap you like a dry twig" she said with a grin

"Then I think I'm safe, because hurting you is the last thing I would ever do." He replied as he guided her to the bed

"Jack…are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Positive" he said as he gently laid her down on the bed and began to kiss her

"But what if he comes back?" she asked in between kisses

"Are we going to spend the rest of the night talking about him?" asked Jack sounding slightly annoyed "Judging from the look on his face, he won't be coming back here anytime soon" he said as he began tracing her cheek bone with his finger

M reached up and brushed a few strands of hair from his forehead before putting her hand behind his head, pulling him down into a deep kiss. Jack began fumbling with the tie on her robe when he suddenly pulled back with an expression she couldn't quite pin down.

"What's wrong?' she asked with a look of worry

"Damn."

"What is it?"

"I have to pee" he said sounding highly annoyed

It was all M could do not to laugh as she buried her head in his shoulder

"It's not funny" he snapped as he rolled off her

"No it's not that. I was just going to ask you to move because I have a cramp in my foot" she said, doing her best to control herself

"God I hate getting old" he said as he headed off to the bathroom

M got up and started pacing around the room trying to get the cramp in her foot to subside while she waited for Jack.

"Would you like some coffee?" she asked with a slight laugh

"Coffee? At this hour?"

"Well since we're both up and we both seem to be experiencing some "technical" difficulties at the moment, and the chances of us recapturing the mood are rather slim, I thought we may as well make the best of it"

"I'm really sorry" he said with a look of total embarrassment as he reappeared

"It's not your fault" she replied as she walked over and wrapped her arms around him, snuggling close "maybe we'll have better luck next time" she said with a smile

"You mean I have a shot at a next time?"

"Oh you never know" she replied with a mischievous grin

"I don't suppose you have any eggs in the kitchen?" he asked abruptly changing the subject

"Why do you want to know if I have any eggs?"

"I just figured that as long as we're down there we may as well have breakfast, it's been a busy night and I'm starving"

"Come on you" she said with a laugh as she took his hand and started toward the door "I'm sure we can find something down there"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	6. Chapter 6 Chapter 6

**Ok so let me know if this is a good place to stop or should I try to get a few more chapters out of this :)**

M sat as Jack expertly prepared scrambled eggs for them.

"I didn't know you were such a good cook" said M as she leaned over with a fork and stole a bite of the eggs as he was fixing the toast

"Well you could at least wait until I put them on the plate" he said with a laugh as he playfully slapped her hand away from the pan before dishing the eggs onto the plates

"Sorry..I guess I didn't realize how hungry I was"

"You just go sit over there and I'll bring it to you" he said with a smirk as he held the plate above his head, just out of her reach

"Fine" she said with a mock pout as she did as she was told

"There you go" he said proudly as he put the plate in front of her "Eggs and Toast"

"Yes...I can see that...Thank you"

"So what are your plans for today?" he asked as he sat down

"Well I don't know about you, but I have to go to work in a few hours" she said in between bites

"Can't you call in sick?"

"Jack!" she said "You know very well that I can't just call in sick. Mallory will be sure to call and "check in" on me to make sure I'm at work and after last night..."

"Well it would serve him right for you to NOT be there, in fact, I would love to be a fly on the wall when he got that message" replied Jack with a laugh

"As entertaining as that would be it would only end with a lecture on keeping state secrets and the inappropriateness of dating someone who works for another government" she said in a serious tone

"Oh to hell with him. IF he doesn't know that he can trust you by now then he's an idiot."

"Jack...what are we doing?" she asked as she put down her fork

"Eating breakfast" he said staring at her

"No...I mean you and I...together, where is this going?"

"I know where I would like it to go, but unfortunately, due to a series of unforeseen complications we aren't getting very far are we" he said reaching across to grasp her hand

"You and I both know that we're too old for games"

"I assure you this isn't a game. Look, I know that this is all moving a bit fast, so how about we just take it slow and see where this leads. I really want to spend time with you and I more than anyone understand the demands on you time and availability so let's just go with it and see what happens"

M smiled a rather sad smile as she picked up her plate and headed toward the sink. Jack stood up and joined her, washing up the dishes while she dried them in silence. As he handed her the last plate his hand brushed against hers, and he took a chance and caught it, holding it tightly, bringing it to his lips.

"This doesn't have to be a great, passionate romance if you don't want it to be" he said quietly "I just thought it would be nice to have someone who understands"

M's heart melted as she put down the plate and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close. Jack immediately returned the embrace, gently rubbing her back as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Thank you Jack" she said softly as she rested her head against his chest

"For what? I didn't do anything but wash the dishes"

"That is the point. You didn't do anything and yet you managed to do everything" she said with a smile

"I'm not sure I understand" he replied with a confused look

"When you showed up in my office, I was almost certain you wanted something, and then you offered to escort me to the reception, and then you brought me home, and I wondered just what you were up to, but then you didn't do what I expected..."

"Which was?"

"I expected you to make a move, which you did but..."

"I know old age got in the way"

"No...but I think manners did. You had multiple opportunities and yet you never let things get out of hand. I know for a fact that when I was an agent, age wouldn't have stopped me from getting what I wanted, and yet you stopped. You have found every conceivable way not to pressure me." she said standing up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek

Jack began to blush slightly as he continued to hold her

"That's because you're not just some mark, you are a very special lady and you deserve to be treated with respect." he said looking down at her

"I know that I'm rambling a bit, but it's just that since my husband died...I just didn't think that anyone would ever..."

"M" he said tenderly as he gently cupped her face

"Yes"

"Stop talking" he said as he leaned down and captured her lips in a deep kiss

Recapturing the mood wasn't the problem, their current location, however left a lot to be desired.

"What is it" she asked as Jack pulled back

"Not here" he said breathlessly

"What?"

"Call me old fashioned, but we can't do this here" he said leaning his forehead against hers

M tried hard not to laugh, but she just couldn't help giggling as she slowly backed up toward the door, pulling him along by the hand

"And people call me straight laced" she said under her breath with a laugh

"I'm not straight laced, I just think at our age..."

"If you use age as an excuse one more time..."

"Well, at our age we're just asking for trouble, and I don't think I would be able to eat off that table with a straight face afterward"

"Point taken" she replied with a smile as she led him up the stairs

By the time they reached the top both were desperately trying to stifle yawns and it was clear that once again, the elusive mood had been effectively broken.

"If I didn't know better, I would say that the gods are conspiring against us" he said as he put his arm around her and led her back to the bedroom

"I think I am inclined to agree" she said sleepily

"There's always tomorrow" he replied with a tired grin as they climbed into bed

"Yes, there's always tomorrow" she said as they both drifted off to sleep


End file.
